Red Rebel
by xbloodysandx
Summary: Kakashi learnt that when the war left it left more then just memory. It left suffering. War baby Gaara was one of those remains left behind. And after years of rebelling he was losing his hope. And in his hopeless eyes kakashi found his mission.
1. Chapter 1

WARNING: It's rated M. So for mature readers only. And it's gonna be a dark gory story so if you're not up for this kind of stuff I suggest you don't read this. There will be rape, abuse, drug use and so once again be warned. If you don't like this kind of story I recommend you don't read this. Bad grammar and bad spelling. And so if you're still reading. Well enjoy darlings

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Naruto or its characters. I'm no that awesome. No. sorry.

AN: Well the plot bunny was eating up my brain. I just had to get it out before it really ate me up. And it's bit dark and twisted and very unfair to some people and characters might be OOC at times and it's AU. So once again read only if you have no problems with this. Aside from that enjoy. Warning and disclaimer goes for the end of story. M too lazy to repeat them on each chapter.

XXXX

The day Kakashi walked in the ward X of the infamous mental institute known for psychotic criminals he felt oddly at peace. Like he was finally walking somewhere he belonged. A very strange feeling indeed.

A man at the age of 34 should not feel at ease when he walks into a shit hole filled with not just crazy psychos but crazy psychos who were sent to jail and then sent there for twisted insane mind. A man of Kakashi's age should think of a nice life, his 2.5 kids, home, loving wife, dog and a perfect house with white picket fence. Perfect apple pie life.

Not Kakashi though. He was in a specialized team of marines, then in an even more specialized team of SWAT and then another team that picked special members from that SWAT team and other most special solder teams from around the globe to build an ultimate team of undefeated warrior master minds. Well he gets tired thinking of how many special teams there was before that final team.

There were no cool named for that team like eagle or seal or bear or tiger or deer or whatever. There was a number though. D-13. The deadly 13. Well it was cool if you knew the name but that beside the point. Kakashi's whole life has been a war or another. His team didn't kill solder it killed the leaders of solder, the masterminds behind the wars. So well they didn't have missions very often.

His dad, grand dad, grate grand dad.. All of them were some high class officer or something in each world wars and no to mention all of them died fighting. And Kakashi's yet again tired thinking of the wars. He walked out of his team the day he had to put a bullet into his teammate's head because he was injured and couldn't walk on his own. They couldn't leave him behind alive because the enemy could torture information out of him. And the information they carried were apparently more important then their lives.

He stared into his commander's eyes for a long moment after hearing the order to kill his life saving friend. And then he put a bullet in his friend's head. His friend made it easy. He nodded at Kakashi with his tired eyes with a smile that's seen on a life long prisoner's face before getting his release. And trough his silent eyes he told Kakashi that Kakashi was doing him a favor. And after that mission he surrendered his stuff and walked out with a light heart.

But his captain was a good man. He gave Kakashi an advice before he walked out. Told him that the things he knew didn't make him the target of only enemy but also his superiors now that he didn't want to work for them anymore. So if he wanted to live peacefully he shouldn't totally get detached from the shade of the leaders. But Kakashi was tired of killing and dying.

So Jiariya, his captain who was going to retirement any day now, offered him training, for some different kind of job that didn't involve killing. Not directly anyway. He was going to train on criminal psychology. Well so he did. And so now he was joining his job today.

Of course his one of a kind status got him one of a kind training and so he was in one of a kind mental institute. This place held they king of psychos. All of them sent here after committing multiple murders and after being failed to treat well from every other place in the world.

But still they were better then people Kakashi knew in his previous job. At least they killed after going all psycho crazy. Kakashi worked with people who killed in cold head. So this place held much sanity for Kakashi. And the security… well no one was killing anyone here.

So ward X was the worst part of the institute. Every patient was kept in their own individual cells and every thing that entered in this ward was checked multiple times for anything dangerous. And even after all this Kakashi heard there were 3 murders has already been committed.

Enough of that. Kakashi had to meet his patients for studying. He walked into the office before him.

"Hello Hatake san." Sarutobi Asuma stood up and offered his hand.

"Just Kakashi is good enough Sarutobi san." Kakashi smiled as he took the tanned man's hand.

"Well then call me Asuma." Asuma looked like a nice man. Kakashi nodded. "Well it's time you meet the patients here. There aren't many in ward X. Just 4. Come with me they are in the recess room currently. Here's their profiles." Asuma gave Kakashi a file and they walked out of there.

Kakashi turned a page and saw a picture of a brightly smiling blond. He was a psycho?

"That's Naruto Uzumaki. I know looks very friendly and he is too. But he got extreme rage issues. It was only once he experienced it and that one time he killed 8 people with butter knife. So it was very messy you can guess. When he gets angry he somehow becomes extremely powerful. Major hormone disorder if you ask me." Kakashi quirked an eyebrow at him and Asuma shrugged "Hey don't underestimate hormones. But it's a shame for him to be here. He's a good kid. And honestly he's the only patient I think that has a chance of getting better." Kakashi turned the page.

"That's Sasuke Uchiha. His brother Itachi was here before for massacring his entire clan. And now he's here for massacring his school bus. That's in his DNA. We are looking for a way to fix it." Kakashi stared at the pale skinned boy's face for a long while. They were so young…barely 20. He sighed and turned the page again

"That's Nagato Uzumaki. Went insane from the traumatic events occurred to him trough his life." It was a picture of an orange haired man's with lots n lots of piercing in his face. He seemed to look like in his late 40s and really masculine.

And Kakashi turned the page again before he could look down they were walking by the recess room. It was huge but was divided into 4 cubicles. And from the hall way they stood it was like a one sided window to monitor the patients in there. And he saw Naruto in his cubicle sitting with a giant grin and painting with crayons. It had a bright yellow sun and a sunflower bigger then the sun, a stick figure with a pointer above it saying 'NARUTO' in chicken scrawl and he was busy painting other stick figures. Ain't he the little Picasso?

And then there was Sasuke. He has charcoals and black crayons and he was scratching. And it was just a skeleton in a coffin but dear lord it looked damn good. He had talent.

But the most beautiful; picture belonged to Nagato. It was a picture of a perfect world no blood shade no nothing just people living happily and Kakashi was confused.

But before Kakashi could question he was stopped on his tracks because they were already walking by another cubicle and on the table there was nothing. But the patient was leaning on the window and even though from inside nothing could be seen of outside it still looked like the patient was looking trough a transparent window and watching the sky. His eyes were so green but rimmed with black. His head full of blood red locks were unruly and his skin was as pale as it could be.

And if Kakashi wasn't mistaken his eyes looked those of a demanding street child who really wanted to cry but knew his crying would be in vain because really who cared about a street child?

Kakashi came to a halt. He could understand crazy smiles of Naruto, brooding look on Sasuke and even the normal face of Nagato but tears and pain? People who have gone mad long ago did not grief, did not feel pain of their madness. So what's with this one? And why was he in a straightjacket in his recess?

"Oh and that's Gaara Sabaku." Wait Sabaku? As in the leader of sand country Sabaku? "And don't let the eyes fool you. He's the one who killed all 3 staffs here." So that explains the straight jacket. "He's the most dangerous one here." Asuma said and turned at Kakashi.

"How old is he?" Kakashi asked.

"16 years 8 months. Yeah young I know. He's the youngest patient here. First killed when he was 6. Has been insane since then. And kept killing no matter where he went. Reason behind insanity unknown. He doesn't talk. Never did. Records say he used to talk before he went insane. He is insomniac thus the dark circles around the eyes. He has the biggest list of murders. 17." Kakashi sighed.

"Well now that you're here I'm finally gonna get out of this crazy hell and go back home and never come back again." Asuma laughed happily. Kakashi smiled at him. Man deserved some peace in life.

XXXX

Kakashi has been there for 2 days now. And he wasn't a doctor he was just an observer of the patient behavior. But he couldn't help noticing the behavior of the stuff. It seemed like they enjoyed the insanity and suffering of the patient there.

Kakashi followed the screams in ward X and found himself standing outside Gaara's cell. The white padded room had only a door and a security camera in it and nothing more. The temperature was controlled from outside. There was a bullet proof window on the door and as Kakashi looked trough it he frowned. Gaara was thrashing on the floor and screaming what looked like in agony.

Orochimaru, the duty doctor walked beside Kakashi and patted him on the back. He pressed a control button after putting a password in the key bad and the screams stopped. He had stopped the only speaker in the room. Now Gaara could die screaming no one would hear.

"He does that sometimes for no reason. We just turn off the speaker. Crazy psychos." Orochimaru chuckled happily. Kakashi scowled.

"You just ignore a patient? And for some reason? Are you trying to say you don't know the reason he's being like that?" Kakashi was very angry inside. Orochimaru's smile didn't seem so marry now.

"He's been in that straightjacket ever since I saw him the first time 2 days ago. You don't know what it does to a person? His arms are probably numb from down the elbow and above the elbow it's swollen so badly it's driving him nuts! If you keep this up his arms will be damaged permanently if they aren't already. Open this door right now." Kakashi demanded.

"He killed 3 staffs here Kakashi. He will kill again." Orochimaru said.

"I'm going in on my own risk. So by all means don't worry. And it's Hatake for you." Kakashi said calmly. Orochimaru shrugged and pushed the buttons.

"Be my guest then." The long haired man stepped back as Kakashi walked in.

The door was locked behind Kakashi and the silver haired man didn't pay it much attention. He walked to the boy who was screaming trough his raw sore throat and was tired after screaming for hours now. Gaara didn't even spare Kakashi a glance. He was in sheer agony. Kakashi didn't bother talking. In the state the kid was he won't hear a word. His face was red like his hair from screaming and from the pain. His pupils were blown wide from the sleeping drugs that couldn't put him to sleep in his pained state.

Kakashi just pinned the kid on the wall and undid the sleeves from behind the red head's back. He undid the endless buckles and unzipped the zipper and pushed it off Gaara's shoulders. He pulled back and laid the red head on the white padded floor before he pulled the jacket off the poor kid. Gaara wasn't screaming anymore he was sobbing. And Kakashi was right.

The kid's elbows were swelled and purple from the blood pooling there. Under the elbow it was pale and cold and his fingers were just numb. Kakashi slowly and carefully laid the hands beside the redhead's body and massaged until blood was flowing in his fingers. He massaged the inside of both elbows and fore arms to the nimble fingers and watched then go reddish pink from the blood flow. Felt them grow warm and felt the trembles as the senses returned to them. And just as the agonizing pain subsided the sleeping drugs kicked in and Gaara was sleeping like a baby.

Gaara looked so vulnerable like that. Lying there all tired and helpless; face wet from tears and body tired from drugs and struggling. Kakashi spent some time there making sure the arms were still working and then his eyes went to the kid's forehead. He brushed aside the flaming red locks and found the kanji tattoo saying 'ai' symbolizing love. And the silver haired man wondered what was the story behind it.

As Kakashi walked out leaving behind an almost unconscious red head and he decided he was gonna learn about this kid. He wan gonna learn what the son of a country's leader was doing there. And he was gonna learn what was the pain that the boy still experienced.

He didn't know why he felt so curious. Maybe he was just bored or maybe he had nothing better to do. But he was gonna learn the unsaid unknown story behind the boy's life.

And thus Kakashi started his journey to find the hidden story of a red head rebel buried away from every one's knowledge years ago.

XXXX

AN: So what do ya think? Love it? Hate it? Sounds ridiculous? Lemme know either way. It means a lot.


	2. Chapter 2

XXXX

It wasn't allowed for people to be around him. Gaara knew that. Even doctors were extra careful, communicating him from the other side of bullet proof glass. So it was surprising that after 4 years living in this hell hole someone was sitting face to face with him. No bulletproof glass.

Like Gaara ever used bullets to kill anyone. Idiots.

He just sat there. That silver haired man with a mask. His eyes were mismatched. One teal black and the other blood red. Gaara liked the red eye. It looked pretty. Though there was a scar running trough it. But it was pretty none the less. Blood was red too. And blood was pretty. Gaara was all giddy inside thinking of the crimson warm liquid that got sticky and cold quicker then any other liquid.

But they have been sitting there for hours now. The man didn't babble like others do.

"I know you won't talk. I heard you don't any more." And of course Gaara didn't reply. "I just want to tell you… I'm going to know what happened with you." Kakashi stared at those cold blank eyes. Nothing. No reaction. He sighed and got up. He has found a file about Gaara by pulling some strings. Her remember his past? He has more strings attached to him then a string factory.

Gaara watched him leave. He was gonna find what happened to Gaara? How? He has a time machine?

What happened to him wasn't written down in any file. It's all inside his head. And it never goes out. No one will believe him. No one ever did.

He pulled his knees up to his chest and wanted to wrap his arms around them but he was in a straightjacket again. So he rested his forehead on his knees. A moment later he started to rock back and forth slightly. A distant tune was playing in his head. It was so familiar. Where did he hear it?

'_London Bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down; London Bridge is falling down my fair lady…' _

Where did he hear it? Gaara can't remember. It just goes in his head over and over again.

XXXX ~17 YEARS AGO~

Karura cried and cried but her tears never ended. She just realized that she was pregnant with her third child. It was nothing to be sad about. She has 2 more children and they were the most wonderful things in her life. She loved children. She adored them.

But right now there was a war going outside where she has been held capture for last 4 months. And she knew her husband was turning the country upside down to find her because he _"loved"_ her. But she was currently pregnant with a child she was pretty sure didn't belong to her husband. It belonged to one of those many nameless men who were rebelling against her husband, the ruler of Suna.

She knew the father. She remembers seeing the time he walked in her cell. He was the leaders of the rebels. He had a head full of dark crimson hair. And he didn't treat her like possession of his. And the worst part was… he didn't rape her. Not really. He would have stopped if she had asked. But she… didn't. She knew her husband was a cruel leader and she understood why the people wanted him down. And seeing a noble brave man like the rebel.. it was new and she was captured for a while. She had lost her freedom the day she had married her husband. And now she was with child.

There were gun shots but not outside. It was inside the building she was held capture and soon the door to her room burst open and her husband was standing there. He swooped her up in his arms like a precious doll she was. He didn't tell her that he has missed her or that he lover her. He just held her in a crushing possessive grip. And almost dragged her out. And on her way she saw a dead body.

The body belonged to the father of the child she carried. And it was filled with so many bullet wounds she couldn't count. Her husband hated him and it showed in those holes. And then it was burnt to crisp before her eyes.

After that Karura didn't open her mouth about the child she was carrying because she knew her husband would kill it without hearing a word. She kept it a secret as long as it was possible. And by the time he got to know it was too late. He couldn't kill the child without killing her.

During the labor the doctors said they had to do a c-section to bring the baby out alive. And hearing that her husband smiled. He didn't tell anyone that his wife was pregnant with a war baby. Everyone knew it was his and he couldn't tell because it would ruin his prestige and image and he couldn't kill the child. Now he has a way.

No c-section. He told the doctors to go trough the normal process.

Karura screamed and begged with all the plea she could gather but the stone man didn't move from his decision. He walked out of the labor room. Karura looked at the lady surgeon with her who stared at her with understanding sad eyes. She was a mother too.

"Please…please don't let my baby die...i beg you…please let my baby live…please…please.." Karura begged and begged.

"Right now only you can give life to your child." The doctor said with teary eyes. And Karura stopped crying. She carried her baby for months and she wasn't gonna let it die. She nodded.

And so after 16 and half an hour she had her baby boy in her arms and she was dying. Her arms that held the small fragile life were becoming numb and her eyes were blurring and she knew it wasn't from tears. But she kept smiling. Her baby was the most beautiful thing she has ever seen in her life.

"..and I love you so much my boy…and I know you'll grow up to be a strong man like your father…and unlike him you'll win against the monster. I'm so sorry I won't be here to see you grow. So sorry I can't be here to save you from him…you be strong now...my love…my Gaara…" Karura cooed to her newborn till her time was up. And with her last breath she cursed the country. She cursed everyone who was there to blame for taking her away from her baby. And then she died holding her baby in her arms and a smile.

The doctor took the baby away from her lifeless arms. She looked down to see a pare of stunning green eyes look at her as the pair of his mother's closed forever and tears washed down her face too. After that she spread the news that Karura has died giving the birth of the healthiest baby she has ever seen. The baby was alive and very well.

And that was the only thing that stopped Karura's husband from killing the newborn Gaara. People knew the child was healthy. If it just died that would raise more questions. So he decided to wait till the news of his wife's death became old and everyone forgot about the baby. But the opportunity never came.

XXXX

Gaara woke up hearing his alarm go off.

'_London Bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down; London Bridge is falling down my fair lady…' _

It kept singing. And Gaara loved to hear it. It belonged to his mother. It was the clock she got in her study tour to Europe when she was young and it was the only thing she left for him. He fell asleep again hearing it's sweet tune. It makes him so happy… _'falling down, falling down, London bridge is falling down…'_ he sang with it in his mind and smiled. It made him warm inside. No one talked to him in such a nice way. Everyone avoided him. And when they did talk it was so angry. Like he did so many bad things…

But he was only three. He ate his vegetables and didn't run around the house or talk very loud. He only whispered to his teddy that belonged to his older sister when she was a baby. And it was his only toy. And he loved it like nothing else. It was his only and best friend in the whole wide world! Gaara hugged it tight to his tiny little chest.

It was dinner time and before dinner Temari and Kankuro had to show their class test papers to their dad once in a month. Dad liked to see if they were doing well. And this time Gaara stood in line too. He has something to show his dad too! He painted it all by himself! He waited after Kankuro who was in line after Temari.

The excited little red head looked down at the paper with flowers and his family having a picnic with him in it. They were all in it! He, their daddy, Temari and Kankuro! He didn't forget anyone like dad did the last time they went out to visit the zoo. Silly dad forgot him home. Gaara giggled. Must be because he was so small. He's hard to notice because he's tiny and small. But when he's all grown up and tall like Temari everyone will notice him! And no one will forget him while buying ice creams or going out!

Gaara bounced on his feet like the toddler he was but he didn't move too much or made noise. He ate all his vegetables and took his midday nap like his nanny told him to. Dad would be proud just like he is with Temari and Kankuro. Temari showed their paper fan she made in her creative class and dad took it saying he would decorate it in his office! Whoa!

Then Kankuro showed him the assignment containing all the name of all the poisons found in sand country. He was studying medicine. Gaara matted his unruly hair as best as he could and checked his shirt to see if all the buttons were done correctly because it was almost his turn! And after dad said "Good job" to Kankuro it was his turn and he was standing in front of dad! His tiny heart was beating so fast it felt like it would come out on his fragile ribcage.

But his fluttering heart almost stopped when his dad looked at him. He… didn't look proud…or happy. He was staring at Gaara like he broke dad's pen…or tore an important paper. But he didn't! And with all the courage he could gather he held out the small picture he painted with his both hands. His father scowled at the colorful page and snatched it away from his tiny fingers and Gaara grasped at the sudden gesture. He took a step back in fear because dad just looked so angry…

"Who gave this worthless idiot colors? Wasting money on paint?" The man roared at the maids and tore the small page into pieces before he crumbled it and threw away.

Gaara was takes away front here by his nanny with tears streaming down his tiny tender face. It was the first day he understood his father hated him. And it was also the last day he was allowed to paint. His crayons were taken away.

XXXX~PRESENT~

Gaara curled into himself as he screams his heart out. His head hurt. It hurt so bad…he wanted to see blood. It was warm...it kept him warm when he was cold. And he was always cold. He needed some warmth…

The ward boys held the struggling kid down. The red head was very tiny and small but when he was like this four people couldn't hold him down. They finally managed after 15 minutes and the kid was in his straight jacket. They stabbed the needles in the boy's pale skin and watched the clear liquid vanish.

In minutes Gaara was sleeping. But inside his head a tune kept going over and over…

'_London is falling down, falling down, falling down; London Bridge is falling down my fair lady…'_


	3. Chapter 3

It's a hound's nature to sniff things. And Kakashi can be compared to hounds in more then one way. When he found Gaara he just had a feeling that there was a story to; be told to hear. And he had nothing to do rather then watching four insane people. His brain needed more things to observe. So he took Gaara's case as personal knowledge gathering quest.

But he was more and more surprised when he dug in. there was very few record. No data of childhood; except for that one that accused him of murdering his own uncle at the age of 6. Its funny that a child would just go and murder without any reason. Everything has a reason. But there was no meaning of pulling out record files from previous doctors that treated Gaara. Their reports were brief and not much help at all. It's not supposed to be like that. There was supposed to be lots of analysis on Gaara but there were none. So its time Kakashi stepped in personally.

So there he was waiting in the long, long lunch line of Suna business center waiting for a certain someone. And finally he saw a young man with dark brown hair making his way towards the line. He was no more then 20 but his face was hard and mature. So being the son of Suna ruler wasn't all sunshine eh? He was wearing a crisp white shirt and a tie was half hanging from the collar like a rope he wanted to hang himself with. There should be a suit or blazer but it seemed like he discarded for lunch break.

Amazing how much he looked like his father. As the young man got closer to the line Kakashi's brain stepped into gear. Kakashi was almost at the end of the line. There were four people behind him and the young man, Kankuro, as Kakashi gathered was about to stand after four people but Kakashi stepped in.

"Kankuro Sabaku?" Kakashi said as if in surprise and that got him the young man's attention.

"Yes." Well no 'may I help you?' gee not a social butterfly is he? Kakashi thrust his hand towards him. "I'm Dr. Gin Momoichi." Well lies were necessary "I'm a fan of the institute you studied from." Well fan of your father won't do well not many people were fan of the Suna leader. "My Grand dad studied from Suna academy as well." The boy shook his hand for the sake of society. Kakashi stepped back and let him cut in line. The man behind him started to bitch but Kakashi didn't pay any attention.

"You just broke a rule" Kankuro said as he stepped into the line without much hesitation.

"Well I'm always expected to obey them breaking them sometimes won't kill any one." Kakashi gave a crinkle eyed smile. And as expected that helped the young man loosen down a few knots.

"Guess your right. How did you know about me thought?" Well this boy doesn't go down with sweet talk does he?

"What do you mean how? There was a complete report about the Kakzekage's family in the times of Suna just three weeks ago." There was a page about the man himself and few lines about his two children but no such elaborate detail. But this boy doesn't have time to read capsules or magazines.

"There was?" Kankuro shrugged after a moment. He was happy to get a cut in the long ass line. Kakashi watched as he shifted his weight from one foot to another. Impatient boy.

"Are you in hurry?" Kakashi asked.

""Well it seems like my lunch break would be over before I even get my lunch." Kakashi sighed annoyed.

"Hey son of the Kazekage your lunch break must be as long as you want right?" Kakashi said in a light curious way. Kankuro rolled his eyes at that and here they go.

"Yeah right. Mine is 10 minutes shorter then everyone else. Like studying politics wasn't enough I had to do internship under _him_." Kankuro almost snarled.

"Well the article said really good things about how successful your sister is and how much potential you have. But I was surprised with one thing." Kakashi said and Kankuro frowned. Didn't like his family being imperfect? That's a surprise. "Yes there was nothing about Gaara." Kakashi said and Kankuro was really confused as if he had no idea who he was talking about and then moments later his eyes widened and shoulders stiffened almost dramatically. And then a shadow of guilt and sadness covered his profile.

"How do you know about him?" Kankuro asked.

"I was his doctor. Among with many other I might add but I treated him." Kakashi nodded as if confirming a distinct memory.

"It's really strange I almost forgot about him." Kankuro was talking more to himself then Kakashi.

"I looked for his childhood records while treating him but there weren't many or anything at all. And so every time the treatment was incomplete somehow. Can you tell me what you remember since I never found any official data?" Kankuro still looked like he was trying really hard to remember something.

"I-I can't remember much…wow I never really thought about it all…he w-was really small.. and shy… and there aren't enough memory of him you know… I was a kid myself." Kankuro said. And Kakashi gave him a disappointed look. "But my sister… she spent time with Gaara" the name came out like he was hesitant to say it. Something was wrong here "She was older then me. I can get her to contact you." Maybe it was out of guilt but Kankuro was very helpful. He gave Kakashi Temari's number and also said he'd give her a heads up about him so she could be more informative.

Kankuro left before he could get lunch. His lunch hour was over before the line was half way done. Kakashi stayed though and bought two packs. One he kept and another he sent to the young man as a thank you for the help. And then he hoped the boy won't tell something to his father. Last thing he needed was the Kazekage suing him for sniffing around his family.

XXXX

Kakashi could have got Kankuro in a café but a young man sitting with him would be eye catching in where he sitting with a 2 something pretty lady would be perfectly ok. And so Kakashi waited for Temari. And not after long a very attractive lady waked in. Her posture screamed confidence and power. She was. And she smiled as her found him.

The introduction was swift and Kakashi gave her the same info he gave Kankuro. And he stopped when she gave him a picture. He stared at it in silent surprise.

"That's Gaara when he was 8 days old." Her face was soft "He was really small when I first saw him. I thought he was a doll…" And it was true. His head was just a tad bit bigger then a big tennis ball.

"Was he born prematurely?" Kakashi asked because really he never saw a baby so small and fragile.

"I… don't know. I was 8 years old…and mom never came back. I was too busy looking around for her… I never got to ask questions about Gaara." Her eyes became glossy for a moment but she handled herself well.

"it was when he was 5 years old." She said giving him another picture where a very small redhead that looked no more then 3 was sitting down on a park seat and holding a balloon with a very happy smile. There was a tiny gap that indicated he had recently lost his first baby tooth.

"All he wanted for his birthday was a red balloon. He wasn't a demanding child. He was quite and shy. Never talked much, never asked for more." She looked sad just like Kankuro.

"There's a cut on his lip." Kakashi said suddenly. He was looking for childhood trauma or abuse. Temari's brow shot up as he said that and took a look at it.

"Oh yes…I remember… there was a bastard. He…hit Gaara. Kankuro took care of that though." There was slight hesitation when she said Gaara was hit.

"may I ask who it was?"

"It was the son of one of our councilors."

"Was he Gaara's age?"

"No… he was older then Me." That meant more then 8 years older then 5 year old Gaara. That's made the bastard 13 years old or more.

Now why would a teenager hit a child? Especially if Gaara was as shy and good as Temari said. Kakashi gathered the guys name and after some more talk he left.

XXXX

It was many years later that Temari pulled out the baby box from her closet. There wasn't only pictures but also videos of them when they first came home. It was a tradition their mom made. But during Gaara her mom wasn't there so she and Kankuro recorded with their crappy skills. She turned it on and sat back.

She didn't need a video to remember though. She could remember when she took the fragile little thing in her arms. Gaara's eyes were crushed close as if about to cry in his sleep, very puffy cheeks that made his small nose look even smaller. His tiny lips were forming a strange pout that made his bottom lip press under his top lip so hard the poor upper lip was jutting out. She remembered pulling out the bottom lip carefully with her index finger because she wanted to take a look in his mouth. Gaara had moved his tiny fists when she did that. And she had gotten a good look in the toothless mouth. There was just pink gum, ping tongue and raw pink lips. His cheeks were bright red.

Temari remembers looking for her mom so she could as if she could have this brother to herself and dress him up like her dolls and play tea time with him. But she couldn't find her mom. And from then Gaara became less wonderful and the loss of her mother became more important. There wasn't much memory. Just flashes of a 3 year old standing out side the dining room holding the door shyly. A small 5 year old walking in the kitchen to have some breakfast… and then a 6 year old sitting in the corner, covered in blood and eyes opened wide in terrified sight of their dead uncle before him.

And from them Image of the little redhead was fewer and more distinct. There were home doctors looking after him and they weren't allowed to see him. It was a 8 year old Gaara she remembers last. he was leaving home and going to some mental institute. He had looked at him with those hollow eyes… when hid the tiny baby became so hollow and empty and cold? He was just a kid…

Temari never went to visit because she was underage and her dad said she wasn't allowed. By she was of legal age to do what ever she wanted Gaara was transferred to another institute where no visitors were allowed.

She dearly wished she had few more memory of her mother's last child. Gaara had mom's eyes. They were so shy and nice and hopeful… she dearly wished she could read the pleas in those eyes when he was around.


End file.
